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Transport minister Jesse Norman said: “Blue badges give people with disabilities the freedom to get jobs, see friends or go to the shops with as much ease as possible.

“We want to try to extend this to people with invisible disabilities, so they can enjoy the freedom to get out and about, where and when they want.”

The policy has now changed for who can have a blue badge

The changes being put to an eight-week public consultation also include blue badge assessments being carried out by a greater variety of healthcare professionals who can spot if mental health is causing mobility issues.

Sarah Lambert, head of policy at the National Autistic Society, welcomed the proposal and said amending parking permit access could be “a lifeline” for many autistic people, who often do not qualify under current regulations.

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Autistic people can suffer anxiety from not being able to park in a predictable place close to their destination, and some can “experience too much information” from the environment around them on public transport, Ms Lambert said.

“We hope the Government will make this important change and we look forward to working with them to make sure that autistic people and their families benefit.”